Business Incubator Center NEWS

Ten Tiny Things Every Small Business Owner Should Do in 2009
Guy Kawasaki of How to Change the World December 31st, 2008. On this, the last day of 2008, I provide a list of ten tiny things that every small business owner should do in 2009—hopefully in early 2009. Don’t consider it a New Year’s resolution because there’s a whole psychology behind such things. Just do it. Guy Kawasaki

What to do when business gets too personalSometimes, managers have to set aside emotions for the sake of the bottom line, says veteran entrepreneur Norm Brodsky, who shares a couple of stories about personal relationships negatively affecting businesses. "You simply can't make good business decisions unless you are able to put emotions aside and analyze a situation objectively. I believe there is no more important -- or difficult -- skill for an entrepreneur to learn." Inc.com

Why we don’t have corporate jobs, a year-end review of some odd office behaviorsThe Globe and Mail chronicles workplace oddities from 2008 in its year-end "Office Awards." Among the incidents that caught the newspaper's attention: employees who lost their jobs for bathing at work, a worker who sued his employer after being waterboarded in a sales meeting and the suspension of a Japanese worker who managed to log 780,000 visits to pornography sites on a company computer before being sent home. The Globe and Mail (Toronto)

Campus Life….

The GYM is opening Monday, January 5!
The Business Incubator Center is excited to be opening a gym on campus that will provide all Incubator Client Companies and their Staff the opportunity to meet their fitness goals 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In addition to using the gym for personal goals, we will be upping the ante for those of you who want a little extra drive with competitions; the first one starting January 9th.

For more details or to get a guided tour of our 540 sf facility, contact Kjersti ( khudson@gjincubator.org ) or Katie at the front desk. Here’s to a happy and healthy 2009!

Join us on LinkedIn
Collaboration amongst peers is one of the most important benefits to being part of the Business Incubator Center community. To help enrich this aspect of the program, we would like to suggest that if you are not already a user of the social networking site LinkedIn, please consider joining! The Business Incubator Center now has a group on LinkedIn, and we would like to invite all of you to join us. The more people who are in the group, the more valuable a resource it will become to the Business Incubator Center community. As the community grows, you will be able to find colleagues who may be in similar industries or facing similar growth issues, and it will serve as just one more way that the community can help businesses grow and prosper.
The Business Incubator Centerhttp://www.linkedin.com/e/vgh/1554637/
To learn more about how to use LinkedIn to help grow your business go to: http://learn.linkedin.com/entrepreneurs/

TOASTMASTERS: Become the Speaker & Leader You Want to Be
Join us as the downtown Toastmasters meeting moves to the Incubator Campus! Toastmasters participants practice and learn skills by filling a meeting role, ranging from giving a prepared speech or an impromptu one to serving as timer, evaluator or grammarian. There is no instructor; instead, each speech and meeting is critiqued by a member in a positive manner, focusing on what was done right and what could be improved.
Good communicators tend to be good leaders. Incubator Clients are welcome! Attend a meeting or two to observe and participate as much as you like, but membership is required for additional participation.
When: Every Thursday at noon
Where: in the Training Room

Video Lab Training Session
Topic: Learn to use the new video lab…and make better use of your website.
When: Call Chris to schedule a time
Where: in the video lab on the second floor of the technology building

What Matters Most: Values-Based Approach to Time and Life Management
Achieve what matters most and gain better control of your personal and professional life through values-based time and life management skills. What Matters Most is adapted from the work of Steven Covey, a recognized expert in time and life management. This class will help you focus on your personal values and priorities, then execute around those priorities. The principles and processes we’ll discuss can help set your course for a more successful and fulfilling life. Cost: $69.
When: Tuesday, January 13 from 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM

LEADING EDGE – Business Plan Development Program
The Leading Edge Program is an intensive training course that provides business owners and entrepreneurs with expert guidance in the areas of cash flow management, marketing, finance, personnel, legal issues, and more. Each participant will receive hands-on assistance in preparing a complete business plan. Tuition is $275, and includes the NXLEVEL Guide for Entrepreneurs and the NXLEVEL Business Plan Workbook and Resource Guide.
When: February 10th to May 12th
12 Sessions
Tuesdays from 6:00 – 9:00 PM